Hosiery



March 14, 194 4.

J. L. GETAZ 2,344,350

- HOSIERY Filed April 14, 1958 s Sheets-Sheet 1 L INVENTOR ATTOR N EY March 14, 1944. J. GETAZ HOSIERY Filed April 14, 1938 a /Z'U 6 5 sheds-sheet 2 ATTORNEY Marh 14, 1944. J. L. GETAZ 2,344,350

HOSIERY Filed April 14,, 1938 S Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY P atented Mar. 14,1944

Application April 14, 1938, Serial No. 201.8613.

8 (llalms.

My invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described and illustrated in'the accompanying drawings which show one embodiment of my invention, and the manner in which it is carried into effect, and my invention is fully disclosed inthe following description and claims.

The invention consists in a plain knit, circular seamless anti-rave] edge, selvage or welt, of sin-- gle thickness for a circular knit seamless fabric, having an' elastic thread extending through the loops of the first circular course of the knitted needles and turned out of action, the arrow X indicating the knock-over or shedding point.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the appearance of the upper portion of a man's-sock embodying my invention at the backthereof.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the interlooping of the yarn in the novel anti-ravel seivage,

fabric, and preferably under tension sufllcient to draw the loops of said course into close proximity to materially reduce the diameter of said course, while permittingit to be stretched or expanded when desired to any necessary extent. This application is a continuation in part of my former application for Letters Patent of the United States, flledDecember th, 1935, Serial No. 53,824.

The single thickness anti-ravel edge, selvage or welt finds its-greatest usefulness at the upper edge ofthe top of a tubular seamless sock or anklet, or at the upper edge of the leg of a tubu lar seamless stocking, butit may also form part and showing adjacent plain knit courses of a tubular fabric for the top of a sock or stocking con-- taining an elastic thread in spaced courses.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged diagrammatic illustration of the interlooping in part pf a course where the elastic yarn is presented, the fabric being expanded.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the preliminary feeding of the elastic thread and inelastic body thread in the formation of the selvage or anti-ravel edge.

Fig. '7 isa similar view illustrating the arrange ment of threads shortly before the completion of the first course.

Fig. 8 is a similar 'view showing the mangement of the threads at the completion of the of any other tubular seamless knitted article.

The tubular seamlessfabrlc following the antiravel ,edge, selvage or single thicmess welt may be formed by plain knitting or rib knitting, or both, and may have incorporated in certain or all the courses thereof an elastic thread, which in the case of plain knittingmay be united to the fabric at spaced wales, in the courses containing it, and floated on the inner face of the fabric, and providing horizontal substantially continuous beads which will slightly indent the "flesh of the wearer and provide a self-supporting func-' tion. One type of such fabric is shown and described and claimed in my aforesaid application Serial No. 53,824. It is to be understood however, that my present invention is not limited to use with the fabric-therein described, nor to an elastic thread incorporated fabric, as it may be employed as the selvage or anti-ravel edge of tubular knitted fabrics, either plain knit or rib knit, which do notc'ontain elastic threads. In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a development of part of the knitting wave and knitting cams of a circular knittin machine for carrying my invention into effect,

' showing how the two yarns are fed to the needles;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view correspond- I ing toFig l, showing theneedle circle and the manner in which the elastic yarn is fed to the as first course of knitting.

i Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the arrangement of threads at the part of the second course after the feeding of the elastic thread has been discontinued.

Fig. i0 is a diagrammatic view of the interlooping of the yarns in the selvage or anti-ravel edge, and a plurality of adiacent courses, and il-' lustrating the manner in which the elastic thread is held under tension in the selvage course.

Any circular knitting machine having cylinder needles with selectivity as between "successive needles, can be adapted to make this salvage or antl-ravel edge. Thus. the well-known Scott & Williams type of revolving cylinder needle machine, such as showmfor instance, inthe United States Letters Patent to Robert W. Scott, 'No.

1,552,852, dated SeptembSrI, 1915, can be adapt-.

ed to do this work by the'addition of a mechanism for feeding and 'tensioning the rubber, yarn and adjusting the knitting cams properly.

The preferred method of. feeding the elastic yarn is by means of a finger 30, pivoted-on a post 29, on the bed plate 3, so as to move in a hori-- zontal plane just above the sinker cap (not shown) into and out of operative relation with the cylinder needles 2i and 23. In this case, the

delivery end of the rubber yamflnger 30, applies the rubber yarn 20, at a point on the needle circle which isjust after the crest of the cam 385, raising the jacks iii, which lie under alternate needles 2i, which are raised to such a height that meias'tio as is laid against their shanks. and

below the latches of the needles 2|, so that as those needles are drawn down, the elastic thread will close their latches and pass over the tops of the needles. If desired, this raising of the jacked needles 2| can take place prior to passage of the switch cam (not shown), that is to say between 'the customary widening pick and the stitch cam.

Shortly after the elastic yarn is laid against the raised needles 2!, below their latches, the jackless needles 22 rise on the side cam 352, and pass in front of the elastic yarn, thereby eflecting'the interlacing of the elastic yarn in front of the alternate jacked needles 2i, and in rear of the intervening jackless needles 22, after which the jackless needles are raised by the leading stitch cam "I, to the same level as the jacked needles,

so that all of the needles reach. the draw down cam at the same level.

' In forming the selvage or anti-revel edge, the

scribed above. The inelastic yarn or body thread indicated at I2, is preferably fed to the hooks of all of the needles by one of the feed fingers-at the throat plate. which in this instance is shown as provided with five fingers F, F, F F and F, movable into and out of operative position in the usual manner. In Fig. 2, for exampIe theinelastic thread i3, is shown as being fed by the finger F. I prefer to so control thefinger which feeds the inelastic thread and the finger 30, which feeds the elastic thread, that the feeding of the elastic threadcommences before the feeding of the inelastic thread. Since the elastic thread is interlaced in the manner previouslydescribed, it will be firmly gripped by its interlacement with the needles so that the end will be carried around against a considerable tension to which the elastic thread is subjected as it is fed by the finger l0, and I prefer to carry the end of the elastic thread a certain distance berond the point at which the inelastic thread I3 is introduced tothe hooks of all the. needles. so

that there will be a terminal portion of the elastic thread indicated at c, (see Figs. 2 and 6, for example) extending beyond the inelastic thread in the first course of loops. -A'ny desired tensioning means for the elastic thread may be employed. For example, I have illus trftiiin Fig. 2 a tension device 32, comprising opposed disks pressed together upon the elastic overlapping the portion 20a, as indicated at 2am in Fig. 8, so that during the last portion of the first course of stitches the overlapped portions 20a and 20b, of the'elastic thread will both be enclosed within the loops of the first course as indicated in Figs. 8 and 10. It being under-. stood that the elastic thread is at all times fed under very considerable tension, it will be seen that the enclosing of the overlapped portions 20a and 20b, of the elastic thread within the portion of the loops of the first course, will hold them tightly in frictional engagement with each other, and with the said loops, so as to prevent the releasin of the tension of the elastic thread 20, in the selvage or anti-revel edge when released from interlaced engagement with the needles by formation of the next course of stiches. The feeding of the elastic thread may be discontinued by throwing the .thread guide out of operative position, with respect to the raised needles, or the elastic'yarn finger 30 may be kept in its operative position, and in courses where the elastic thread is not desired, no needles are raised until a point subsequent to a feed position of the elastic yarn finger is reached, .as by withdrawing cam 366. In this connection, it should be noted that the normal level of the tops of the needles at a point opposite the elastic yarn finger is below such finger, so that unless a needle is specially raised by a jack, it will pass the rubber yamfinger without taking the yarn.

By whatever means the feeding of the elastic yarn is discontinued, I prefer to so time the discontinuance of its feed that a short length of the .elastic yarn indicated at 200 will be fed to,

and interlaced with the needles after the firstv course of loops or stitches has been entirely completed,'so that this supplemental portion 200 yarn 20 is laid in front of the shanks and is subsequently shed or knocked-over the tops of the needles, the elastic yarn is floated as indicated at 20d, which floats lie on the inner face of the fabric, and cover the alternate wales ii, of non-elastic yarn. In those wales H, where the elasticyarn is laid behind .the needles 22, the entire structure is outside the elastic yarn except'for the sinker wales l'l, each'of which passes around in back of the elastic yarmt'hus uniting it therein to the fabric, as best seen' 'in Figs. 5 and 10.

thread by a spring 33, the-tension of which can 4 be varied by a set nut 33a, in a well-known way.

As soon as the needles having the inelastic thread II, in their hooks reach the knitting cam. they will be drawn down, the needles 2i and 22 respectively, drawing their loops'on-opposite sides of the elastic thread which is thus confined within theloops of the first course as indicated thread as indicated in Fig. '1, the first course of loops not yet having been completed. From this point onward, part of a second coil of elastic threadwill be fed to interlace with the needles It will therefore be seen that my improved selvage or anti ravel edge comprises in the first instance a marginal series of loops indicated at Ila, in Figs. 4 and 10, for example, through which the elastic thread 20 extends under very considerable tension, the forward end portion 20a of the elastic thread being overlapped with the portion 20b, within a plurality ofloops of the first course,

thus frlctionall holding the overlapped portions against endwise slipping. and maintaining th original tension at which the elastic thread is fed, and preferably'to further anchor the elastic thread in the fabric against slipping, a portion thereof is carried into a plurality of stitches of.

ficient amount of tension may be set up in the illustrated course, so as to materially reduce the diameter of the selvage and adjacent fabric after it has been disengaged from the needles, and I prefer to apply sufiicient tension to the elastic thread so as to force alternate wales adjacent to said edge to one face of the fabric, and the intervening wales to the opposite face of the fabric, thereby producing an effect closely resembling 1 x 1 rib. The tension of the coil of elastic 'thread will draw the loops of the anti-ravel course into close proximity with each other, when the fabric is in undistended position, and the loops will engage the elastic thread with greater friction than they would air-inelastic thread so as to tend to prevent the slippage of the elastic thread through said loops and consequent loss of tension. Where the end portions of the coil overlap each other as described. they will also have a strong frictional engagement withaeach other'and with the closely associated surrounding loops which keep them in close frictional engagement, so that the main tenance of the tensionimparted to the elastic thread during the formation of the anti-ravel edge is furthered, and by carrying the elastic thread into stitches of the succeeding course, the locking of the elastic thread against loss of tension is further secured.

Obviously, after the completion of the selvage or anti-ravel edge, which, according to mypreierred process of knitting, is completed during the first revolution of the machine after the introduction of the inelastic thread, subsequent courses of stitches can be knit with the body thread it, as plain knitting, or the subsequent courses may be of rib knitting, if the knitting machine is of such character as to be able to produce both plain and rib knit fabric. For some types of socks, I find it desirable to knit the sub sequent courses which ordinarily form the top of a sock or anklet, of plain knitting, and to introduce the rubber thread 2t, into spaced courses,"

as every fourth course for example, under the same high degree of tension as is applied to it during the knitting oi the selvage or anti-ravel course, and in the manner indicated in Fig. 5, and previously described, the elastic thread being united to the fabric in alternate wales, and floated on the inner face of the fabric at intervening wales, the tension of the elastic thread being sufliciently great. to draw alternate wales not only of the courses containing the elastic thread, but also ofthe intervening courses to one faceeof the fabric, while the intervening wales of all courses will be drawn to the opposite face of th fabric, thus producing smooth faced'fabric very closely bling 1 x 1 rib, the alternate wales of which correspond with the aligned wales of. the salvage or anti-revel course.

Such a fabric as above indicated, is shown in Fig. 10 in which the elastic thread, after being withdrawn from the second course as previously described, is floated vertically downward during the knitting of a plurality of successive courses of the body thread or inelastic thread, and is again introduced in this instance, in the fifth course, as shown in Fig. 10. In this case; it will be seen that a vertical float 21' is formed extendlng downwardly from the point in the second. course where the elastic thread is withdrawn, and I making a sharp angle therewith, which further tends to prevent the adjacent portions of the clastic thread in the second course, and in the anti-' ravel course, from slipping endwise, and thus assists in maintaining the tension of the elastic carried into a clamp 35, which may be also provided with 'a cutter for severing the thread, if desired, or it may simply be held in the clamp and permitted to break by the further rotation of the needle cylinden'if preferred. In such case, the elastic thread need not be reintroduced until it isdesired to form another selvage or anti-ravel edge of another sock, anklet or stocking. Where, however, the elastic thread is introduced into spaced courses throughout the formation of the top of a sock, anklet or stocking, Or part thereof, it may be continued from course to course by the formation of vertical floats such as is indicated at 2?, from course to course containingit, and severed and clamped after'th completion of the tubular fabric, in which it is incorporated.

My improved selvage or ahti-ravel edge can also be formed by feeding the anti-ravel yarn 2%, from a finger in the throat plate separated a distance from the finger which feeds the inelastic thread it. Thus, the finger F at the right side of the throat can be used for feeding the anti-ravel yarn 2b, while the finger F at the left side of the throat can be ,used for the inelastic or body yarn instead ofthe finger F as shown." In this modification of the method of producing the selvage, the needles behind fed in the hooks, and below the latches thereof. At this point the inelastic yarn is fed to the hoolm of all the needles so that the resultant salvage or edge is formed and is substantially the same as that previously described.- It will be understood that the timed action of the yarn fingers in. either case can be obtained from either the main pattern drum or an auxiliary drum in any sual or preferred manner.

I do not herein claim the process for the formation of the selvage or anti-ravel edge, as the same forms the subject matter of my former Patent No. 2,054,217, granted September 15, 1936, upon an application Serial No. 59,125, filed January 1d, 1936, which in a divisionof my former application Serial No. 53,824.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A selvage or anti-revel edge for the top'oi a seamless circularplain knit article of hosiery which consists of a seamless circular knit body yam course. and an elastic yarn extending through all of the loops of said body yarn course, and being under'suflicient tension to draw the said loops into close relation with each other of the fabric and being united to the fabric at spaced points in said courses and floated between said points on the inner face of the fabric.

2. A selvage or anti-revel edge for the top of a seamless-circular hilt article of hosiery which. consists of a seamless circular plain knit body yarn course and an elastic yam extending through all of the loops of said body yarn course, and being under suilicient tension to draw the said loops into close relation with each other around said elastic yam, .andmaterially reduce the diameter of the edge in the undistended condition, the frictional engagement of said closely associated loops with said elastic thread holding the latter against loss of tension when the edge is distended-said elastitc thread under tension extending into the next adjacent course of the fabric and certain courses subsequent thereto, without being knit therein, and being united to the fabric at'alternate wales and. floated on the inner face of the fabric between said alternate wales, the elastic thread being under sufllcient tension in said subsequent courses to draw said alternate wales together and submerge the intervening wales in the undistended condition of the fabric.

3. A selvage or anti-revel edge for the top of a plain knit article of hosiery which consists of a knit bow-yarn course and an elastic yarn extending through all of the loops of said body yarn course, and being under suflicient tension to draw the said loops into close relatidn with each other around said elastic yarn, and materially reduce the length of the edge in the undistended condition, the frictional engagement of said closely associated loops with said elastic thread holding the latter against loss of tension when the edge is distended, said elastic thread under tension extending through subsequent courses .of the fabric and being united to the fabric at spaced points in said-courses and floated between said points on the inner face of the fabric.

4. A single thickness salvage or anti-ravel edge for the top of a seamless circular article of hosiery, which comprises a body yam course of seamless circular plain knit fabric and an elastic yarn extending through the loops of said body yarn course, and being "under sufiicient tension to draw the said loops into close relation with, each other around said elastic yarn, and materially reduce the diameter of the edge in undistended condition, the frictional engagement of said closely associatedloops with said elastic thread holding the latter against loss of tension when the edge is distended, said elastic of the salvage extending continuously in the body yarn course, and being under suflicient tension to draw the said loops into close relation with each other 'around said elastic yarn, and materially reduce the diameter of the edge in undistended condition, the frictional engagement of said closely associated loops with said elastic thread holding the latter against loss of tension when the edge is distended, said elastic yarn having a portion incorporated in a plurality of stitches in a subsequent course of stitches of said fabric to further secure the elastic yarn against loss of tension.

6. A single thickness salvage or anti-revel edge for the top of a seamless circular article of hosiery, which comprises a body yarn course of seamless circular plain knit fabric and an elastic yarn extending through the loops of said body yarn course, and being under sufiicient tension to draw the said loops into close relation with each other around said elastic yarn, and materially reduce the diameter of the edge in undistended condition, the frictional engagement of said closely associated loops with said elastic thread holding the latter against loss of tension whenthe edge is distended, said elastic yarn being carried into the next adjacent course of the fabric for a plurality of stitches thereof to further secure said elastic against loss of tension.

7. A single thickness selvage or anti-raveLedge for the top of a seamless circular article of hosiery, which comprises a body yarn course of seamless circular plain knit fabric and an elastic yarn extending through the loops of said body yarn course, and being under suiiicient tension to draw the said loops into close relation with each other around said elastic yarn, and materially reduce the diameter of the edge in undistended condition, the frictional engagement of said closely associated loops with 551d elastic thread holding the latter against loss of tension when the edge is distended, said elastic yarn extending under tension into the next adjacent course and a plurality of spaced courses subsequentthereto and being united to the fabric at spaced points in said spaced courses.

8. A single thickness selvage or anti-revel edge for the top of a seamless circular article of hosiery, which comprises a body. yam course of seamless circular plain knit fabric and an elas-- tic yam extending through the loops. of said undistended condition, the frictional engagesame direction more than one complete round of seamless circular plain knit fabric and an elastic yarn extending through the loops of said ment of said closely associated loops with said elastic thread holding the latter against loss of tension when the edge is distended, said elastic yam extending more than one complete round and having an adjacent portion floated downward onthe inside of the fabric to a subsequent,

course of stitches of the fabric to further insure the elastic yarn of said salvage against loss of tension. v

JAMES LOUIS GETAZE 

